The Australia-India relationship

Both India and Australia have a long history of partnership and cooperation, with established formal diplomatic ties since 1944. While this cooperation has remained the case across several areas, there is a renewed focus and appreciation by both nations as to the benefits that research collaboration can bring.

Research collaboration extends back many decades between the nations, with Science and Technology cooperation agreements in 1975, and in 2020 a Memorandum of Understanding that covers a variety of research areas of interest to both nations.

As Australia's Update to the India Economic Strategy action plan states "a strong and productive Australia-India education relationship should be seen as the flagship of the bilateral relationship" and the research and innovation relationship plays a key role in realising this vision. 

Opportunities for continued research between nations are strong. Since 2006, the Australia-India Strategic Research Fund has provided more than AUD 100 million (Rs 500 core) to support over 350 collaborative activities. The Australia India Council, which fosters understanding and collaboration between the two nations through its grants program, recently celebrated 30 years. 

With the wide variety of Australian and Indian research organisations, and the ever-growing complexity and scale of research challenges that face the Indo-Pacific and wider global community, ARCH-India aims to reveal and connect unique expertise in both nations, and encourages research collaboration. 

Explore the breadth of research collaborations that have occurred and are occurring across each research area. You can also find articles and events to learn what other researchers are doing or advertise your own event to collaborate with others.